A plainly-furnished work-room in the house of HALVARD SOLNESS.
Folding doors on the left lead out to the hall. On the right
is the door leading to the inner rooms of the house. At the
back is an open door into the draughtsmen's office. In front,
on the left, a desk with books, papers and writing materials.
Further back than the folding door, a stove. In the right-
hand corner, a sofa, a table, and one or two chairs. On the
table a water-bottle and glass. A smaller table, with a
rocking-chair and arm-chair, in front on the right. Lighted
lamps, with shades, on the table in the draughtmen's office,
on the table in the corner, and on the desk.

In the draughtsmen's office sit KNUT BROVIK and his son RAGNAR,
occupied with plans and calculations. At the desk in the outer
office stands KAIA FOSLI, writing in the ledger. KNUT BROVICK
is a spare old man with white hair and beard. He wears a
rather threadbare but well-brushed black coat, with spectacles,
and a somewhat discoloured white neckcloth. RAGNAR BROVIK is
a well-dressed, light-haired man in his thirties, with a
slight stoop. KAIA FOSLI is a slightly built girl, a little
over twenty, carefully dressed, and delicate-looking. She has
a green shade over her eyes.--All three go on working for some
time in silence.

KNUT BROVIK.
[Rises suddenly, as if in distress, from the table; breathes heavily
and laboriously as he comes forward into the doorway.] No, I can't
bear it much longer!

KAIA.
[Going up to him.] You are feeling very ill this evening, are you
not, Uncle?

BROVIK.
[Draws is breath laboriously.] Ha--ha--! I haven't much time
for waiting.

KAIA.
[Listening.] Hush! I hear him on the stairs.
[All three go back to their work. A short silence.

HALVARD SOLNESS comes in through the hall door. He is a man no
longer young, but healthy and vigorous, with close-cut curly
hair, dark moustache and dark thick eyebrows. He wears a
greyish-green buttoned jacket with an upstanding collar and
broad lappels. On his head he wears a soft grey felt hat,
and he has one or two light portfolios under his arm.

SOLNESS.
[Near the door, points towards the draughtsmen's office, and asks in
a whisper:] Are they gone?

[She takes the shade off her eyes. SOLNESS crosses the room,
throws his hat on a chair, places the portfolios on the table
by the sofa, and approaches the desk again. KAIA goes on
writing without intermission, but seems nervous and uneasy.

BROVIK.
[Looks up.] They say they are longing so to get into a house of their
own.

SOLNESS.
Yes, yes--we know all that! And so they are content to take whatever
is offered them. They get a--a roof over their heads--an address--
but nothing to call a home. No thank you! In that case, let them
apply to somebody else. Tell them that, the next time they call.

BROVIK.
[Pushes his glasses up on to his forehead and looks in astonishment at
him.] To somebody else? Are you prepared to give up the commission?

SOLNESS.
[Impatiently.] Yes, yes, yes, devil take it! If that is to be the
way of it---. Rather that, than build away at random. [Vehemently.]
Besides, I know very little about these people as yet.

BROVIK.
The people are safe enough. Ragnar knows them. He is a friend of
the family.

SOLNESS.
Oh, safe--safe enough! That is not at all what I mean. Good lord--
don't you understand me either? [Angrily.] I won't have anything
to do with these strangers. They may apply to whom they please, so
far as I am concerned.

SOLNESS.
[Placing the arm-chair more conveniently.] Here--take this chair.--
And now?

BROVIK.
[Has seated himself with difficulty.] Well, you see, it's about
Ragnar. That is what weighs most upon me. What is to become of him?

SOLNESS.
Of course your son will stay with me as long as ever he likes.

BROVIK.
But that is just what he does not like. He feels that he cannot
stay here any longer.

SOLNESS.
Why, I should say he was very well off here. But if he wants more
money, I should not mind---

BROVIK.
No, no! It is not that. [Impatiently.] But sooner or later he, too,
must have a chance of doing something on his own account.

SOLNESS.
[Without looking at him.] Do you think that Ragnar has quite talent
enough to stand alone?

BROVIK.
No, that is just the heartbreaking part of it--I have begun to have
my doubts about the boy. For you have never said so much as--as
one encouraging word about him. And yet I cannot but think there
must be something in him--he can't be without talent.

SOLNESS.
Well, but he has learnt nothing--nothing thoroughly, I mean. Except,
of course, to draw.

BROVIK.
[Looks at him with covert hatred, and says hoarsely.] You had
learned little enough of the business when you were in my employment.
But that did not prevent you from setting to work--[breathing with
difficulty]--and pushing your way up, and taking the wind out of my
sails--mine, and so may other people's.

BROVIK.
You are right there. Everything favoured you. But then how can you
have the heart to let me go to my grave--without having seen what
Ragnar is fit for? And of course I am anxious to see them married,
too--before I go.

SOLNESS.
Oh, it comes to the same thing. [Laughs angrily.] So that is it,
is it? Halvard Solness is to see about retiring now! To make room
for younger men! For the very youngest, perhaps! He must make room!
Room! Room!

BROVIK.
Why, good heavens! there is surely room for more than one single man--

SOLNESS.
Oh, there's not so very much room to spare either. But, be that as it
may--I will never retire! I will never give way to anybody! Never of
my own free will. Never in this world will I do that!

BROVIK.
[Rise with difficulty.] Then I am to pass out of life without any
certainty? Without a gleam of happiness? Without any faith or
trust in Ragnar? Without having seen a single piece of work of his
doing? Is that to be the way of it?

SOLNESS.
[Repudiating the idea.] No, no, that is quite impossible. If Ragnar
leaves me and starts work on his own account, then of course he will
need you himself.

KAIA.
[Wringing her hands.] Oh, I feel as if I could not be separated
from you! It's quite, quite impossible!

SOLNESS.
Then be sure you get those foolish notions out of Ragnar's head.
Marry him as much as you please--[Alters his tone.] I mean--don't
let him throw up his good situation with me. For then I can keep
you too, my dear Kaia.

KAIA.
[Sinks down before him.] Oh, how good you are to me! How unspeakably
good you are!

SOLNESS.
[Vehemently.] Get up! For goodness' sake get up! I think I hear
some one.
[He helps her to rise. She staggers over to the desk.

MRS. SOLNESS enters by the door on the right. She looks thin
and wasted with grief, but shows traces of bygone beauty.
Blonde ringlets. Dressed with good taste, wholly in black.
Speaks some-what slowly and in a plaintive voice.

SOLNESS.
I will have it settled, I say! And to-morrow too--not a day later!

KAIA.
[Terrified.] If there's nothing else for it, I am quite willing to
break off the engagement.

SOLNESS.
[Angrily.] Break it off. Are you mad? Would you think of breaking
it off?

KAIA.
[Distracted.] Yes, if necessary. For I must--I must stay here with
you! I can't leave you! That is utterly--utterly impossible!

SOLNESS.
[With a sudden outburst.] But deuce take it--how about Ragnar then!
It's Ragnar that I---

KAIA.
[Looks at him with terrified eyes.] It is chiefly on Ragnar's account,
that--that you---?

SOLNESS.
[Collecting himself.] No, no, of course not! You don't understand
me either. [Gently and softly.] Of course it is you I want to keep.
--you above everything, Kaia. But for that very reason, you must
prevent Ragnar, too, from throwing up his situation. There, there,
--now go home.

SOLNESS.
You see, they really are clever fellows, these two. Each of them
has talent in his own way. But then the son took it into his head
to get engaged; and the next thing, of course, was that he wanted
to get married--and begin to build on his own account. That is the
way with all these young people.

DR. HERDAL.
[Laughing.] Yes, they have a bad habit of wanting to marry.

SOLNESS.
Just so. But of course that did not suit my plans; for I needed
Ragnar myself--and the old man too. He is exceedingly good at
calculating bearing strains and cubic contents--and all that sort
of devilry, you know.

SOLNESS.
Yes, I'll tell you how that came about. One day this girl, Kaia
Fosli, came to see them on some errand or other. She had never
been here before. And when I saw how utterly infatuated they were
with each other, the thought occurred to me: if I cold only get her
into the office here, then perhaps Ragnar too would stay where he is.

SOLNESS.
Yes, but at the time I did not breathe a word of what was in my mind.
I merely stood and looked at her--and kept on wishing intently that
I could have her here. Then I talked to her a little, in a friendly
way--about one thing and another. And then she went away.

SOLNESS.
Well, but what about the other thing? That she believed I had said
to her what I had only wished and willed--silently--inwardly--to
myself? What do you say to that? Can you explain that, Dr. Herdal?

SOLNESS.
I felt sure you would not; and so I have never cared to talk about
it till now.--But it's a cursed nuisance to me in the long run, you
understand. Here have I got to go on day after day, pretending---.
And it's a shame to treat her so, too, poor girl. [Vehemently.]
But I cannot do anything else. For if she runs away from me--then
Ragnar will be off too.

SOLNESS.
[Breaking off, rises again.] Well, well, well--then we won't talk
any more about it. [He saunters across the room, returns, and stops
beside the table. Looks at the doctor with a sly smile.] I suppose
you think you have drawn me out nicely now, doctor?

DR. HERDAL.
[With some irritation.] Drawn you out? Again I have not the
faintest notion of what you mean, Mr. Solness.

SOLNESS.
Oh come, out with it; I have seen it quite clearly, you know.

SOLNESS.
Yes, on my soul she does! I tell you it is so. And she has got you
to think the same! Oh, I can assure you, doctor, I see it in your
face as clearly as possible. You don't take me in so easily, I can
tell you.

DR. HERDAL.
[Looks at him in amazement.] Never, Mr. Solness--never has such a
thought entered my mind.

SOLNESS.
[Interrupting, with a sweep of his hand.] Well, well, my dear
doctor--don't let us discuss this any further. We had better
agree to differ. [Changes to a tone of quiet amusement.] But
look here now, doctor--h'm---

SOLNESS.
She has not got over it to this day--not in all these twelve or
thirteen years.

DR. HERDAL.
But you--yourself--you rose upon the ruins. You began as a poor
boy from a country village--and now you are at the head of your
profession. Ah, yes, Mr. Solness, you have undoubtedly had the
luck on your side.

SOLNESS.
[Looking at him with embarrassment.] Yes, but that is just what
makes me so horribly afraid.

DR. HERDAL.
Pooh! The younger generation! You are not laid on the shelf yet, I
should hope. Oh no--your position here is probably firmer now than
it has ever been.

SOLNESS.
The luck will turn. I know it--I feel the day approaching. Some
one or other will take it into his head to say: Give me a chance!
And then all the rest will come clamouring after him, and shake
their fists at me and shout: Make room--make room--! Yes, just
you see, doctor--presently the younger generation will come knocking
at my door---

HILDA WANGEL enters by the hall door. She is of middle height,
supple, and delicately built. Somewhat sunburnt. Dressed in
a tourist costume, with skirt caught up for walking, a sailor's
collar open at the throat, and a small sailor hat on her head.
Knapsack on back, plaid in strap, and alpenstock.

HILDA.
[Goes straight up to SOLNESS, her eyes sparkling with happiness.]
Good evening!

HILDA.
She said I might come and pay her a visit if ever I came up to town.
[Smiles.] Not that that was necessary.

SOLNESS.
Odd that she should never have mentioned it.
[HILDA puts her stick down by the stove, takes off the knapsack
and lays it and the plaid on the sofa. DR. HERDAL offers to
help her. SOLNESS stands and gazes at her.

HILDA.
[Going towards him.] Well, now I must ask you to let me stay the
night here.

MRS. SOLNESS.
Well, it will be all right, I daresay. In the meantime, you must
excuse my leaving you here with my husband, until I can get a room
made a little more comfortable for you.

SOLNESS.
Can we not give her one of the nurseries? They are all ready as it is.

MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh yes. There we have room and to spare. [To HILDA.] Sit down now,
and rest a little. [She goes out to the right.
[HILDA, with her hands behind her back, strolls about the room
and looks at various objects. SOLNESS stands in front, beside
the table, also with his hands behind his back, and follows
her with his eyes.

HILDA.
That must depend upon circumstances.
[She sits awhile rocking herself and looking at him, half
seriously, half with a suppressed smile. Then she takes
off her hat and puts it on the table in front of her.

HILDA.
Then you climbed right up the scaffolding, straight to the very top;
and you had a great wreath with you; and you hung that wreath right
away up on the weather-vane.

SOLNESS.
[Curtly interrupting.] I always did that in those days. It is an
old custom.

HILDA.
It was so wonderfully thrilling to stand below and look up at you.
Fancy, if he should fall over! He--the master builder himself!

SOLNESS.
[As if to divert her from the subject.] Yes, yes, yes, that might
very will have happened, too. For one of those white-frocked little
devils,--she went on in such a way, and screamed up at me so---

SOLNESS.
[Fixes his eyes steadily upon her.] I am sure of that now. It must
have been you.

HILDA.
[Lively again.] Oh, it was so gloriously thrilling! I could not
have believed there was a builder in the whole world that could
build such a tremendously high tower. And then, that you yourself
should stand at the very top of it, as large as life! And that you
should not be the least bit dizzy! It was that above everything
that made one--made one dizzy to think of.

HILDA.
Yes, you did. And when I asked how long I should have to wait, you
said that you would come again in ten years--like a troll--and carry
me off--to Spain or some such place. And you promised you would buy
me a kingdom there.

SOLNESS.
[As before.] Yes, after a good dinner one doesn't haggle about the
halfpence. But did I really say all that?

HILDA.
[Laughs to herself.] Yes. And you told me, too, what the kingdom
was to be called.

HILDA.
No, not at such a time as that. But--"Princess Hilda"--that will
sound very well, I think.

SOLNESS.
Very well indeed. Princess Hilda of--of--what was to be the name of
the kingdom?

HILDA.
Pooh! I won't have anything to do with that stupid kingdom. I have
set my heart upon quite a different one!

SOLNESS.
[Has leaned back in the chair, still gazing at her.] Isn't it
strange---? The more I think of it now, the more it seems to me
as though I had gone about all these years torturing myself with--
h'm---